


Wave

by sgvirtualseason, subcutaneous7



Series: Supergirl Virtual Season [4]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animated GIFs, Bisexual Female Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Collaboration, Cover Art, F/F, Femslash, Gifset, Guns, Journalism, Lesbian Character, Memory Alteration, Trauma, Unethical Experimentation, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-19 11:26:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11312418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgvirtualseason/pseuds/sgvirtualseason, https://archiveofourown.org/users/subcutaneous7/pseuds/subcutaneous7
Summary: As Cat continues to heal from her harrowing experience with Cadmus, she and Kara find new ways of working together. Meanwhile, Maggie and the NCPD investigate a string of gruesome murders, and Supergirl encounters a threat that makes her question everything she thought she knew about Krypton and the DEO.





	1. Act I

Give it up for @ofpensandcupcakes ([tumblr](https://ofpensandcupcakes.tumblr.com)). Feel free to shower with praise!

And how amazing is this from @supergaysupercat ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/octoplods) | [tumblr](https://supergaysupercat.tumblr.com)). Feel free to shower with praise!


	2. Act I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cadmus may not have been able to hold on to Cat Grant, but will Cat be able to let go of the hold Cadmus has on her? Kara pays her a visit and offers to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title gifs created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

Cat stared up at the ceiling for hours, watching the lights from the city dance like spirits across the smooth white surface, the grandfather clock ticking away rhythmically in the hall. Sleep never came easy for her, nor for very long for that matter, but lately it was nearly impossible. Alex and the rest of the medical team insisted she needed rest, and even she couldn’t argue with them this time. The ordeal with Cadmus had taken so much from her, and yet somehow, all she could fixate on was what may have been put back in.

_“You know why we chose you, don’t you?” Lillian taunted, skin glowing green as the shadows from the cell lined her face._

_“No.” Cat sighed, sitting crumpled and dirty in the corner of the cement block. “But I’m sure you’re going to tell me, so get on with it.”_

_Lillian bent down hastily, pulling the chain latched around Cat’s arms tighter through the grates, jerking Cat’s muscles unnaturally. Deep down, Cat knew this was an exaggerated dream, another tired rehashing just like all the others, even if it did still hurt. Then again, she couldn’t be sure what was real anymore._

_She felt Lillian’s breath creep across the top of her head as she hovered, keeping just out of sight._

_“We know your weaknesses,” Lillian sneered. “You **are** weakness. You’re also an open book. One would think you’d keep your cards much closer with such a full deck.”_

_“For someone so in love with the sound of her own voice, you don’t say much,” Cat retorted wearily. “I don’t know what it is you think you know, but…”_

_“Everything.” Lillian laughed, voice dripping with frivolous cruelty. “But don’t worry. We won’t use any of it against you, let alone those you love. You’ll do that all on your own.”_

_“Please. You want me, fine. But there’s no need to…”_

_“It’s too late for that. The plan is already unfolding. All that’s left to do is get cozy, pull up a chair…” Lillian crept closer, whispering. “…and watch.”_

Cat shot straight up, sucking all the air from the room, gasping hard enough to wake herself. Her chest was heaving, sweat pouring down her arms and sticking to her expensive, thousand thread count sheets as she held them against her shaking body. She brushed her matted hair from her forehead, reaching for the glass of water on her nightstand. Taking a long gulp, she struggled to regain control, checking the clock next to the bed, noting it was already morning.

“So much for that,” she sighed.

It had already been a week since she’d been home, released from the DEO almost as if nothing had ever happened. Before the incident, she’d planned to take some time to relax, travel, do all the things one was supposed to do on a sabbatical before really diving into whatever came next. Now, none of that made sense. It had been a vague sketch of an idea to begin with, a thin cover for the real reasons she was running. _Relax? Really?_ When in the last thirty years had she ever opted for that? Now it had been forced, and the last thing in the world she wanted to do was relax.

She fell back against the pillows, thinking maybe she’d give it one more try. Her skin crawled at the thought of returning to the same tedious dream, the memory of that cell, when there was a knock at the door. _Excellent._ She rolled her eyes, assuming it was the pesky new doorman insisting he bring up her mail for the thirtieth time, even though she had given strict instructions not to be disturbed. She froze for a moment, every worst case scenario running through her mind. Perhaps this eager new fellow was a plant from Cadmus, sent to keep an eye on her and eventually haul her away again. _No,_ she chastised herself. The DEO had a detail keeping watch. She was safe. She had to be.

The knocking came again, this time more insistent, more familiar.

Moving beyond restlessness and into fury, a much more comfortable emotion truth be told, she took a deep breath. Pushing out of bed, she slipped on her robe before stalking through the living room, ready to unload a string of epithets she’d been dying to use on someone for days. This self-mandated isolation had its perks, but it was also unsustainable. The impulse to do something that mattered, to effect change, was percolating back through her system. Firing someone seemed like a good place to start.

She swung the door open, mouth already forming the first of many curses, when her lips froze and she fell silent, then still.

“Kara.” She cleared her throat, taking in the aroma of fresh coffee being held out to her and the pink sweater attached to it, the searching blue eyes, the almost apologetic smile. “How did you…”

“The doorman let me in. I know he’s new, but he really should have put up more of a fight. Security can’t be taken too seriously these days, especially after–”

“What are you doing?” Cat pulled the strings of her robe tighter, smoothing out the silk, ruffling a hand through messy blonde hair in desperate need of a trim. “Why are you here?”

“You didn’t answer any of my calls,” Kara said quietly but firmly. “I was worried.”

“Mmm,” Cat groaned, chewing the inside of her lip before she shrugged, deciding to forget just how unkempt she felt for company. Kara had seen her looking much worse recently. Vanity was a lost cause at this point. “Well, you’re here. May as well come in.”

She grabbed the coffee unceremoniously, turning back to the foyer.

***

Kara hesitantly followed, shutting the door behind them. It felt a bit odd being here in Cat’s home, even with how much closer they’d grown over the past few weeks since Cat had learned her secret. On the surface it felt like any other day, but there were layers now, shared anxieties, efforts to let Cat in where she’d been so determined to keep her out. Kara’s eyes darted about the lofty space with its floor-to-ceiling windows and copious modern art, taking in every detail, just like she had the first time she was there to watch Carter. Nothing about it had changed. At least that much was comforting.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, returning to the task at hand. Cat wasn’t wearing any makeup, the bags under her eyes betraying that she’d been getting about as much sleep as she had at the DEO. Still, she was effortlessly beautiful, as always. Kara tried not to stare, afraid Cat would take it as anything but admiration, though it was getting much harder to hide with all the walls falling between them.

“Don’t you have more important things to do than check up on me?” Cat dodged, taking a sip of her Noonan’s dark roast, unable to resist shutting her eyes for half a second.

Kara thought it looked like Cat missed this almost as much as she did, but it was foolish to get nostalgic.

“No.” Kara shook her head, stepping forward. “I mean, yes. Yes, I have important things, but… you’re just as important.”

“Why? It’s not your job to look after me anymore. You’re not my assistant.”

“But I _am_ your friend. You’ve always looked out for me, for Supergirl, when I needed you most.”

“That may be the case,” Cat mused. “Though not very well, considering.”

“Shouldn’t I be the judge of that?” Kara laid her hands on the marble countertop, trying to gain some leverage. “Look… I care about you. What Cadmus did was awful, and it’s going to take some time to recover. I know a little something about being attacked, about needing to trust the world again after you’ve been hurt. Let me help you for once.”

Cat seemed to be at a loss for words. Kara would have expected insults, excuses as to why she, the eager girl with too much sunshine in her step and never enough conditioner, couldn’t possibly be able to help her, protect her from whatever was to come. But that wasn’t true anymore, was it? Every limitation, every vulnerability she was once able to pretend Kara had was a lie, or at least not completely true. So here they were. One of them in desperate need of something, anything to relieve the pain and paranoia, the other willing to give it. Kara only hoped she would let her.

“Fine,” Cat conceded cautiously. “What would you suggest I do to make myself feel better about any of this? Illuminate me, Kara.”

“Well, for starters you could come back to work.”

“No.” Cat immediately shut that down. “I can’t return to CatCo. Not yet.”

“Why not? James has already said he’s happy to have you back at the helm. Everyone’s missed you so much.”

“You don’t have to butter things up unnecessarily. It’s not going to change my mind. She… Cadmus,” Cat corrected, “threatened to use me, use CatCo, against this city. I’m not going to play into their hands by giving them exactly what they want.”

“But we don’t know what any of that means,” Kara argued. “You can’t just give up everything because you’re scared of what could potentially happen when there’s no evidence of–”

“I said _no_ ,” Cat breathed. “And if you’re going to push me, I suggest we end this little nurse-patient scenario before it gets out of hand, because I’m not going to budge.”

“Fine.” Kara exhaled, pushing her glasses up on her nose, switching tactics. “Okay, then, tell me what you do need. What would make you feel better right now?”

“Hmm.” Cat pondered, tapping her fingers against her lips. “You could take me back to the DEO, have them check me again for whatever trojan horse I’ve undoubtedly been cursed with, considering they didn’t look hard enough to find it in the first place.”

“Uh, J’onn was very thorough. Trust me. You’re fine. There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“You can’t be sure of that. _I_ can’t be sure of that. Before I can go anywhere, do anything of use, let alone even consider bringing my son back home, I need to know I’m not a danger to the people around me. Surely you can understand that.”

Kara’s breath caught a little. She’d almost forgotten that Carter was still living with his father. That alone was a sign of just how shaken Cat must still be feeling. And yes, she certainly could understand what it was like to feel out of control, that her presence in people’s lives was more of a risk than a reassurance.

“Of course.” Kara nodded assuredly.

“Alright.” Cat put down her coffee, curling her hands into fists, extending them in front of her. “Take me in then.”

“I’m not ‘taking you in.’” Kara gently pushed her hands away, glad to see Cat’s sense of humor returning. “But I will go with you, help you, if that’s what you need to feel okay.”

“Please.” Cat swallowed.

Kara’s heart clenched. She’d never seen Cat this scared, and it made her less certain that there wasn’t something horribly wrong, that Cadmus hadn’t broken her. But Kara couldn’t let her own worries take over when Cat needed her to be strong. They would fix this, no matter what it took. If J’onn had to check Cat a hundred times, then that’s what they’d do. Anything to make her feel safe in her own skin again.

“You um… should probably change first,” Kara suggested, trying not to blush.

“Right,” Cat said, tightening the robe against her thin nightgown. She disappeared down the hall, leaving Kara standing in her kitchen, waiting for their next move.

***

“I don’t know what else to tell you, Ms. Grant.” J’onn laid a supportive hand on her shoulder as she sat on the metal exam table. “Nothing in our scans indicates you’re a danger to yourself or anyone else. You’re a free woman. Embrace it.”

“How can you be so flippant about this? If someone came to me and said they were remembering things that didn’t really happen, I’d have them locked away until I was sure they weren’t going to transform into some sort of apocalyptic demon.”

“But you aren’t a demon,” he assured. “Or a weapon. And you haven’t done anything wrong. I couldn’t lock you up even if I wanted to.”

“Why would you want to?” Kara looked at him strangely.

“I don’t.” J’onn rolled his eyes, hands on hips. “That was my attempt at a joke.”

“I fail to see the humor in any of this,” Cat huffed. “Do you think being held for days, tortured psychologically, only to find your own mind is the one playing tricks, conjuring disappearing acts like some sort of low budget David Copperfield is funny? Because I don’t.”

“I don’t either.” Kara stepped closer, touching her arm. “Neither does J’onn. He was taken too, remember?”

“We want to help you,” he reminded. “But until we find out what the Cadmus operatives were really after, there’s not much else we can do.”

“Fine.” Cat sighed. “If you insist on releasing me to the public, I’ll go, but if anything comes crawling out of me to attack this city, the blood will be on your depressingly drab uniforms, not mine.”

“That’s a chance we’re willing to take.” J’onn smirked. “In the meantime, Kara will keep checking on you. You’re in good hands with her.”

“That I’ve never doubted.”

Kara couldn’t help but smile, even as the tips of her ears burned.

“What are you doing?” Alex entered the room, eyeing Cat before turning to J’onn. “How is she?”

“Never better, Agent Danvers,” Cat answered for herself, slipping off the table and straightening out her green dress as she drew her Givenchy satchel over her arm. “I was just about to make my escape. Kara?”

“Actually, I have to head downtown,” Kara said, checking her phone. “Snapper sent a text.”

“Oh?” Cat’s eyebrow rose, interest piqued. “Do tell.”

“I don’t know much yet.” Kara shrugged. “Just that there was a body found near the courthouse. He wants me to go ask questions.”

“Excellent,” Cat chirped. “I’ll come with you.”

“W–what?” Kara looked up as she gaped. “I um… I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” Cat glared.

“Yeah.” Alex crossed her arms, eyeing Kara pointedly, raising a suggestive eyebrow. “Why not?”

Kara could have killed her. The teasing she’d promised had clearly begun.

“Are you really going to turn down the offer to have an award-winning journalist join you on assignment?” Cat glowered. “These opportunities don’t come often, Kara. Consider what’s being offered.”

“I just…” Kara continued to sweat, biting her lip nervously, burying her hands in her pockets. “I mean, I don’t know why you’d even want to–”

“What else do I have to do? You could try stopping me, but considering I still own the company you work for, let’s just chalk it up to on-the-job training, shall we?”

“Um, okay.” Kara swallowed. “I guess let’s go then.”

She watched Cat stride out of the room, a little extra spring in her step, like she was truly looking forward to the excursion.

“I’d say keep an eye on her,” Alex whispered, winking a little. “But since you can’t seem to keep yours off…”

“ _Alex!_ ” Kara scolded, face turning the color of Krypton’s sun.

The idea of Cat coming with her, watching everything she did, no doubt finding fault considering her relative lack of experience, made Kara immediately regret saying yes. Unfortunately, she didn’t appear to have a choice. She stole another look at J’onn, who was trying not to laugh again, before fixing her collar and following Cat through the glass doors.

“Mr. Schott,” Cat acknowledged as she glided across the atrium.

“Hey, you got my name right!” Winn smiled back, eyes wide, hands firmly planted on the keyboard. “Although, it’s um, it’s Agent now, actually,” he continued as she ignored him. “Figures.”

Kara’s brow crinkled. She wondered why he was acting so weird, until she watched him lift his arms. The keyboard came along with them, cemented to his fingertips by some sort of adhesive. She eyed Vasquez standing in a nearby corner, trying to maintain her stoicism but failing as a muffled laugh squeaked out, tickled by her latest hazing prank.

“It’s going to be a long day for all of us.” Kara sighed, shaking her head and chasing Cat on the way to the car.

***

“You shouldn’t be here,” Maggie called out to Kara as she approached the perimeter, ducking beneath the yellow tape. “I’m only speaking with you because we clearly can’t avoid the press on this one. And _she_ definitely shouldn’t be here,” she added, indicating Cat.

“Why does everyone keep talking about me like I’m not here?”

“Sorry, Ms. Grant.” Maggie squinted, shielding her eyes with her glove-covered hands. “It’s just, if the team sees someone like you here, they’re gonna lose focus and that’s when things start to get sloppy. And we’ve already got a mess on our hands.”

“This is Detective Sawyer.” Kara made the formal introduction, attempting to smooth things over. “She’s the one who helped Alex and Supergirl with your rescue.”

“I see.” Cat swallowed, clearly trying not to get sucked back into the misery of that day, or what she could remember of it anyway. “I suppose I should be thanking you then.”

“No need.” Maggie smiled shyly, a bit starstruck. “I was just doing my job. Happy to see you back on your feet.”

“So, what happened?” Kara asked.

“Some lawyers leaving the courthouse spotted a body down by the river.” Maggie scratched her chin on the sleeve of her oversized jacket, her arms crossed. “It’s not pretty, and it isn’t the first. Two others were recovered between here and Opal City last week.”

“Can we see?” Cat persisted.

“No reporters past the tape,” Maggie warned.

Cat glared, that special Cat Grant glare that was part flirtation and part command, wielding her own superpower.

“But… I can get you photos.” Maggie sighed, caving reluctantly. “Off the record.”

Kara tried not to scoff at that. She knew Maggie would have blown her off had it not been for Cat’s presence. The fact that the detective didn’t take her seriously was really starting to get on her nerves.

“Yes,” Kara spoke up, standing taller. “We’d like that. Thank you.”

Maggie nodded, going to fetch the promised photos. She didn’t glance back at them, but did scan the bustling cops and techs around her, almost as if she couldn’t trust them.

“You can do better than that,” Cat whispered.

“I am _trying_.” Kara groaned, clutching her pad and pencil to her chest. “I’m sorry we can’t all be Pulitzer winners our first month on the job.”

“That’s not what I meant. You have skills other reporters don’t. Use them to your advantage.”

“Oh.” Kara pursed her lips, shifting back and forth in her loafers. “You mean–”

“I assume your vision can scan through something as pedestrian as blue tarp?” Cat continued.

“Right.”

“Anything you would use to investigate as Supergirl is at your disposal. I’m not saying you should lean on those assets, but they might help inform the right questions. An eyewitness is always better than secondhand sources.”

Kara nodded, dropping her chin as she slid her glasses to the tip of her nose, penetrating through several police cruisers and officers gathering evidence, before her eyes landed on the body, or at least what was left of it. The head was practically ripped off, chunks of flesh and limbs missing, half the victim’s stomach strewn across the grass.

“What is it?”

“Not good,” Kara squeaked as Maggie returned.

“Here.” Maggie handed over the file. “I hope you skipped breakfast.”

“Thanks.” Kara peeked at the images, confirming what she’d already seen.

“Well?” Cat waited, tapping her foot.

“I don’t think you really want to… oh, okay.” Kara gave in, Cat snatching the photos from her hands, perusing them like they were any old set of layouts.

“Messy indeed,” Cat mused.

“This doesn’t look like it was done by a human,” Kara breathed.

Both Cat and Maggie’s heads perked up at that.

“You think?” Maggie’s eyebrow rose a bit. “What are you suggesting?”

“I mean…” Kara tried to backpedal. “Just that there could be some extraterrestrial explanation for this, right? Stranger things have happened in National City.”

“Uh huh.” Maggie smirked. “So what you’re saying is, we should take that into consideration for our list of suspects?”

“You could say that,” Kara agreed, feeling Cat’s eyes on her neck, like she could sense how fast her heart was racing.

“We’ll look into it.” Maggie rolled her eyes, taking the folder back, looking around again to make sure they hadn’t drawn too much attention.

“Or, _I_ could look into it.” Kara adjusted her glasses, seizing the opportunity to dig further, hoping Cat would appreciate her gumption. “I know where we might find sources on alien activity beyond the conventional, thanks to you.”

“You mean the bar?” Maggie huffed. “Kara, that’s not–”

“I know the password. Humans are still welcome there, right?”

“Not really, but M’gann made an exception for you once,” Maggie corrected. “Maybe she would again.”

“I think it’s worth a shot,” Kara insisted.

“Fine. Just don’t overstay your welcome. It might be just a few questions to you, but their lives are at stake.”

Kara had already planned a trip back to the bar for her own curiosity, but she figured mixing business with pleasure didn’t always have to be a bad thing.

“I know. Thanks.” She smiled graciously, letting Maggie return to work.

***

“Smooth, Supergirl.” Cat shook her head as they slowly made their way back to the town car. “It took nearly three years for you to tell me who you really were, yet you almost spilled to Detective Dimples in a matter of minutes.”

“I didn’t spill anything!” Kara defended. “That was a perfectly good assessment. Did those wounds look human to you?”

“No.” Cat’s lips curled, cheekbones rising as she teased. “All I’m saying is, be careful.”

“Speaking of which, I think you should sit out the next stop. It could be dangerous.”

“Not a chance,” Cat cut her off, affixing her sunglasses. “Besides, M’gann and I go way back.”

“You…” Kara stopped in her tracks, once again floored. “Wait, how do you…”

“Come, Jessica Fletcher.” Cat laughed softly. “Let’s go.”

***

“It’s been a long time.” M’gann smiled, pulling Cat into a warm hug, accepting Cat’s signature kiss on each cheek.

“Too long.” Cat held her shoulders, looking her over before glancing around the sunless tavern with its cheap furniture and broken pinball machines. She felt out of place and right at home at the same time. When Kara confirmed where they were going, she couldn’t help but let the excitement of being out in the field again thrill her, Kara’s spunk and tenacity filling her up in ways she’d been craving, even before she decided to take a leave of absence.

“How exactly do you two know each other?” Kara interjected, clearly beginning to feel the weight of both her worlds colliding.

“M’gann was a source for me back in the early days, when I was first setting up operations for the Tribune,” Cat shared. “I know I promised to keep in touch.”

“You’ve been busy,” M’gann brushed her off. “I’m just glad you made good on not blowing this place’s cover. It’s important for us to have somewhere we can be ourselves, now more than ever.”

“We have a few questions for you,” Kara said, trying to steer things back to her assignment.

Cat smiled at this, watching Kara work, impressed by her eagerness.

“Of course.” M’gann circled to the other side of the bar, drying a few glasses as the other women propped themselves up on stools. “Can I get you anything?”

“That’s okay,” Kara declined. “There’s been a string of murders recently. Humans ripped to shreds by some kind of creature. I was hoping you might have a lead.”

“Well, I try to steer clear of murderers as a rule, no matter where their DNA might come from.” M’gann bristled.

“Sorry,” Kara apologized. “I didn’t… I mean, I know you’re not…”

“What I think Kara is trying to say is that it’s possible you might have heard rumors given the clientele that pass through these doors,” Cat jumped in.

“There has been some talk of new blood in town.” M’gann sighed. “But he hasn’t made his way in here yet.”

“He?” Kara picked up on the hint.

“I’m assuming, which I try not to do, but from what I’ve heard, the full moon has brought out the wilder elements in some people, as it always does.”

“You mean like…”

“A werewolf,” M’gann finished for her.

“That’s…” Kara laughed nervously, shaking her head. “No. Don’t worry, Ms. Grant. Werewolves aren’t real.”

“Of course they are.” Cat rolled her eyes. “And witches and imps and vampires, along with god knows what else. This isn’t Buffy, Kara. You’re not my Giles.”

“I didn’t say I–”

“Why do you think I let the trail run cold back when I was starting out? I didn’t want CatCo to become the National Enquirer, but considering this is reality, it can’t be helped. Supergirl opened up Pandora’s box, and the truth will come out. It’s our job to be the first to tell it.”

“Um… okay.” Kara took out her pad, writing some of this down. “And M’gann knows who I am, by the way, so you don’t have to talk about ‘Supergirl’ like she doesn’t. She read my mind the first time I was in here, or, well… tried to anyway.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.” M’gann smiled. “I told you I’d keep your secret.”

“Of course you did,” Cat approved, struck by the similarities between the two refugees.

“So then,” Kara said. “We should be looking for a metahuman. A wolf, not an alien?”

“I’m just telling you what I’ve heard,” M’gann reiterated. “I can’t confirm anything, let alone tell you where to find him. You’ll have to do the hunting on your own.”

“Well, that’s at least something.” Kara straightened her shoulders. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” M’gann nodded. “You should come back around when you’re not on the clock. Get to know people. There are a lot of others like you, people who have lost their homes. Myself included.”

Cat watched Kara struggling with the impulse to be open, to let herself find some solace in this fellow alien. Clearly she was drawn to this place, even if she was an outsider because she chose to pass as human. Not to mention the cape, plus the new things Cat had learned of Kara’s family history from the Alura hologram. Cat also knew enough about Kryptonians and their lore, the stereotypes, the classist accusations, from her time at the Planet during Superman’s rise to fame. It had been a choice to combat most of it with puff pieces and careful branding of Supergirl, but it was still hard to imagine Kara having to contend with all of those things, that she’d been there watching it unfold from the inside, fetching her coffee and keeping her schedule all while learning what it meant to be a hero in her spare time.

“Thanks,” Kara responded. “I’ll do that.”

“There’s a costume party here tonight to celebrate Dar Ruulkt, sort of the Roltikkon version of Halloween.” M’gann handed her a flyer. “Things tend to get pretty interesting.”

“I’ll try to stop by.” Kara smiled politely, shoving the flyer into her pocket.

***

After negotiating Cat away from the temptation to have a mid-morning cocktail, Kara found herself filled with a mix of frustration and amusement as they rode back towards Midtown.

“You never told me you knew so much,” she finally caved. “Maybe I would have felt more comfortable telling you who I was had you clued me in to the fact that you had other alien friends all along.”

“Yes, because telling that to my assistant would have made sense.” Cat shook her head. “Glass houses, Kara. You of all people don’t have any stones to throw when it comes to keeping secrets.”

“I…” Kara’s mouth hung open as she tried to think of an appropriate response, and she bit her lip. “You’re right. I guess… part of me just liked thinking I was the first.”

“Is that jealousy I’m hearing?” Cat smirked, elbowing her playfully, tilting her head to the side as their shoulders slipped past each other.

“ _No._ ” Kara gaped, playing with her glasses, looking out the window to hide how rosy her cheeks were. “Alex?” she answered her phone, thankful for the distraction.

“Got a tip on a potential hostile. I’ll send the address. Meet us there?”

“On my way.” Kara hung up, turning to Cat. “I have to go. You should head home. Despite everything I learned today, I still don’t think you’re ready for a high speed chase.”

“That’s just as well,” Cat breathed, crossing her long legs, letting her fingers dance across her knees. “Hopefully I won’t have any more hallucinatory visitors while I’m by myself.”

Kara realized suddenly what this was all about, Cat tagging along. Sure, part of her might have wanted to be a mentor, and yes, Kara had seen a fire in Cat’s eyes when they were on the scene that had been missing in her role at CatCo for quite a while. But it was clear now that ultimately, she didn’t trust herself, and she didn’t want to be alone.

“Maybe Lillian really was there,” Kara spoke softly, unbuckling her seatbelt. “I could look into it more if you–”

“You don’t have to patronize me.” Cat shook her head. “I’ll get over it soon enough.”

Kara exhaled, wishing she didn’t have to run. She’d stay with Cat all day if she could, but time was pressing.

“Should I tell the driver to stop?” Cat asked.

“No need.” Kara smiled, flinging open the door, disappearing in a flash of blue and red before shutting it behind her.

Cat looked on in amazement. She rested her hands in her lap, grinning as she let her head fall back against the leather seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)), spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)), Revolos55 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Revolos55/pseuds/Revolos55) | [tumblr](http://saunteringvaguelydownwards.tumblr.com/ask)), and musetotheworld ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/musetotheworld) | [tumblr](http://musetotheworld.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	3. Act II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Supergirl Virtual Season...

Mad love for @xxtorchxx ([tumblr](https://xxtorchxx.tumblr.com)). Who gives us a car scene between our two favorite ladies.

Get in bed with Cat, thanks to @pinkrabbitpro ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkrabbitpro) | [tumblr](https://pinkrabbitpro.tumblr.com)). Don’t forget to tell our artists what you loved!


	4. Act II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Alex and Supergirl uncover a deadly new threat to National City, shocking revelations lead Kara to question her past. Amidst the chaos, the team meets up with Maggie at the bar to celebrate a unique alien holiday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another amazing title gif created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

Alex led the team inside the rusted warehouse. It was dingier and more dilapidated than most hideouts their Fort Rozz escapees and other villains tended to pick. Agents flanked her on either side, guns drawn, search lights fixed to their tactical vests. Kara followed behind her, ready to throw herself in front of the group at a moment’s notice.

The smell of rotting flesh got more powerful as they proceeded. It was so pungent it made Alex gag. She stifled a cough against her arm, pausing briefly before signaling for them to keep going, adjusting the brace on her hand so she could grip her weapon more firmly. As they got closer, it became clear that this was a den of some sort, bones scattered across the floor, tattered rags acting as a makeshift bed and curtains. There were also newspapers, a toothbrush sitting in a putrid glass of water, bristles bent beyond repair, along with other items that would indicate a human had been living there. The excessive shedding and stench, however, told a different story.

“I thought werewolves only transformed in moonlight,” Kara whispered. “It’s not even dusk.”

“Maybe he’s something different.” Alex swallowed.

No matter how many run-ins with the strange and supernatural she encountered, Alex could never shake the chill that ran up her spine every time she was presented with a new level of creep. This was no exception. The fact that National City’s landscape seemed to provide the perfect cover for so many killers and crooks was a blessing and a curse. It kept her employed, but even after all her training, there were times she wished she didn’t have to be the one to pull back the covers or look under the bed.

She breathed steadily, checking over her shoulder, then back to the eerie path ahead, projecting that unshakeable, determined facade she knew her team needed in order to keep their own fears at bay. It was something she’d been honing since the moment Kara arrived on Earth. Now ‘big sister mode’ was a critical part of her job.

Suddenly, Kara was knocked halfway across the hangar by a massive blur of red hair and giant claws. A deep, hungry growl echoed as the creature launched them through the air, landing with a crack against the concrete. Alex’s heart leapt out of her chest as she followed their movements in the dark.

“Supergirl!” she screamed, firing her weapon at the animal. The other agents joined in, trying to take him down with tranquilizer darts, but to no effect.

Alex watched her sister grit her teeth as she struggled to even see what had her pinned. Razor sharp nails tore at her suit, fangs gnashing, the creature dripping saliva on her face and chest like a rabid dog. Kara kicked and pushed until finally, she was able to throw him off, scuffling backwards and shaking the slop off as she regained her bearings. Seconds later, she lunged forward again, delivering a hard punch to the creature’s throat, sending him howling.

He quickly recovered, bracing on all fours as he let out an almost deafening shriek, finally revealing his full form and glowing yellow eyes. He was at least six times Kara’s size, built of muscle and a thick, matted coat, but… those eyes. Something about them was different from the rest. They were full of malice, but also fear, confusion. He appeared to be struggling with his impulses, reluctant to devour her.

“Must… stop…” he heaved.

“Stop what?” Kara tried to communicate, holding her hand out as if she were trying to tame a lion.

“You know… who I am… Zor-El…”

Kara’s body flinched at the recognition. Her face fell.

“What does that mean?” she called to him. “Who are you?”

“Cannot… fight this!” he barked.

For a moment it looked like he was bracing for another attack. The agents reloaded their weapons, firing again full force, not letting up even as he turned and crashed through a set of windows, disappearing with a speed only Kara could match. Alex drew back her weapon as she watched Supergirl follow after him.

***

Kara trailed him for several blocks, zipping through cars and pedestrians, doing her best to keep the damage to a minimum. She followed until they were almost out of the city, losing him once they got to the tangled mess of brush on the other side of the highway.

“He’s gone,” she told Alex in her earpiece, gazing out over the expanse, lifting her hand to her brow to block the sun as the wind swept dust through her hair.

She dropped her hands to her sides, panting, heart aching with so many questions and, ironically, concern for the beast, as much as it didn’t make sense. Once she regained her strength, she took off into the sky towards the DEO, hoping they might have answers.

***

J’onn knew he had that look on his face, the one Kara and Alex could easily recognize meant he did not have good news to share with them. He found schooling his expression before speaking made their often emotional responses easier to manage.

“His name is Lar-On,” he spoke calmly, calling up the profile on screen. The displays showed a young, red-headed humanoid, fair skinned and freckled, alongside images of him as the mutant they’d met earlier.

Kara stepped closer to the console, freezing as she discovered what she’d feared most.

“He’s Kryptonian.” She swallowed.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “I looked into the DEO’s old files on lycanthropy. Lar-On was intercepted by Henshaw’s crew after a failed attempt to create an interstellar weapon opened a rift to the Phantom Zone. Lar-On had been trapped there for some time, much like yourself, until the DEO got ahold of him.”

“But why is he like this?” Kara spun around. “And why was he in the Phantom Zone in the first place?”

“That part, I’m afraid, is more difficult,” J’onn told her somberly, clicking through to the next set of files. “Your father, Zor-El, was a scientist. The experiments he did… didn’t always turn out the way he expected. According to Lar-On’s testimony, Zor-El exposed him to a form of red kryptonite found on your home world, though he consented to being a test subject. It’s likely your father was searching for some kind of cure to an illness Lar-On suffered from, but we can’t be certain.”

He paused, looking over at Kara, watching her crumble a bit as she listened.

“All we know is that after the experiments went awry, Lar-On was banished to the Phantom Zone for your planet’s protection. Henshaw kept him detained, but he escaped. The only thing that doesn’t line up is everything in his file indicates he was still part humanoid when he left.”

“So something else must have permanently transformed him,” Alex chimed in. “Do we think Cadmus?”

“Possibly.” J’onn nodded. “It would make sense if they’d taken him, considering he’s been off the grid for almost a decade. But it’s imperative we find him before they do. He’s just as dangerous as Metallo or any other rogue. His Kryptonian powers are still active. Solar absorption, heat vision, flight, you name it. There’s no doubt he’s a danger to the public.”

“Maybe we can help him,” Kara said softly. “There has to be something we can do to reverse the effects of the experiment.”

“We’ll only know once we get him into custody.” J’onn shook his head. “In the meantime, we need to be vigilant, communicate with the NCPD to deploy extra security around the city.”

“I’ll get in touch with Maggie,” Alex offered, watching Kara silently disappear into the training chamber. J’onn shot her a look, giving the nod to make sure her sister was okay.

***

“Hey.” Alex stepped into the room with its rock covered walls and metal bulkheads. It reminded her of their desert base, making her a bit homesick for it, stray bats and all. “I know that must have been hard to hear.”

“It’s not like it’s a complete surprise.” Kara sighed. “It’s just… I feel like my parents’ legacy is always following me, no matter how hard I try to break away from it. Between her judgements and his experiments, they both made so many enemies. How am I supposed to help people, make good on protecting humans _and_ aliens if the aliens see me as a threat as well?”

“They don’t. Or at least not all of them do, and none would if they got to know you. You’re not responsible for your parents’ mistakes. You create your own legacy, your own set of morals and values, every day when you put on that suit. I know it’s tough, but you have to know you’re helping people.”

“I bet that’s what they thought too.” Kara took a deep breath, pacing before planting herself near the window. “Or at least I hope so. I feel like I don’t know either of them anymore.”

“I’m sure they didn’t mean to hurt anyone.” Alex sat next to her. It was getting dark, but there were still a few rays of light streaming in. “That’s what I keep telling myself about Dad. Clearly he still has enough humanity left to do what he did for Cat, even if he has been forced to work for Cadmus all these years.”

“Absolutely. Jeremiah would never hurt anyone intentionally. You know that.”

“I do.” Alex nodded sadly. “Speaking of Cat, how was she today?”

“Weird. And brilliant, as always. She knows M’gann from her reporting days.”

“Really? That’s… I don’t know how I feel about that.” Alex shook her head. Cat hadn’t mentioned anything about having deeper entanglements with aliens other than reporting on them, but then again, why would she? Clearly the media mogul was full of surprises, but Alex knew she could be trusted to keep Kara’s secret.

“Me either.” Kara laughed a little. “But I’m still worried about her, Alex. Something isn’t sitting well with this whole Lillian-on-honeymoon thing. I don’t know if I buy it.”

“You think Lucy would lie?”

“No. I trust Lucy, but I trust Cat too. Maybe Winn can take a look at the flight records again, make sure everything adds up?”

“It’s worth a shot.” Alex smiled supportively.

“You know, M’gann told me about this costume party at the bar tonight,” Kara shared hesitantly. “I think we could use a little break from everything, don’t you?”

“I guess so,” Alex agreed, leaning her head on Kara’s shoulder. “But if we go, I get to pick the costumes.”

“Oh you do?” Kara laughed.

“Yeah,” Alex insisted, remembering all the times Kara had stuck her with some ridiculous, over-the-top ensemble that made her want to set herself on fire. “Deal?”

“Deal.”

Alex gave her another squeeze, pulling her from the shadows, always thankful for the opportunity to remind her sister she was right where she belonged.

***

The music was booming when they set foot in the bar, a sea of heads every size, shape and color practically colliding as they danced and drank the night away. The beams were decked out in rubber bats and spider webs, jukebox blaring “Thriller” as a fog machine created an even thicker haze than usual. It had all the makings of a traditional Earth Halloween, only it was mid-July, there weren’t any trick-or-treaters, and the monsters were real.

Alex spotted Maggie by the pool table first, trying her best to keep up with the group of Roltikkons holding court.

“Hey,” Maggie said, breaking away to greet her. “Good to see you.”

“Who are you supposed to be?” Alex asked genuinely, eyes trailing casually over the petite woman’s boots and tight shorts, the revealing shirt beneath her leather jacket, the way her hair was tied back in a high ponytail.

“Tomb Raider.” Maggie modeled her look. “You know, Lara Croft?”

“Nice.” Alex nodded, impressed. “Don’t you get enough of guns at work?”

“Yeah, but I get two guns with this.” She showed off her holsters. “Plus, you can never have enough guns, right? I mean, okay, some people shouldn’t have any guns, but… you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” Alex breathed, taking a long swig of her beer. “I do.”

“And you are… you?” Maggie squinted, crossing her arms.

“No,” Alex sassed, whipping out her FBI badge before flipping her auburn hair. “Call me Agent Scully.”

“That’s cheating, Danvers. You’re already a Fed who works with aliens. You’re supposed to think outside the box.”

“Hey, you stick with what you know and I’ll stick with what I know.”

“What, you think I’m really some badass archaeologist?”

“Archaeologist, no,” Alex corrected. “Badass… the jury may still be out on that one.”

“Whatever, Danvers,” Maggie teased.

“Hey, thank you, by the way.” Alex swallowed. “You really helped us by snatching that vial from Cadmus. I appreciate it.”

Alex couldn’t tell her how much. She wasn’t willing to reveal her personal connection in all of this, but the prints had brought her that much closer to finding her father, and for that, she figured she could show Maggie a little more warmth than she’d allowed herself to recently.

“No worries.” Maggie smirked. “You wanna play?”

Alex agreed, even if she was afraid of showing the detective up.

***

Meanwhile, Kara and J’onn waded their way through to the bar, clearing some space at the end.

“Kara!” M’gann smiled warmly, yelling over the noise. “Cute ears!”

“Thanks!” Kara took a seat, trying not to feel too embarrassed by the kitten garb her sister had stuck her with, whiskers and all. She’d refused the tights, sticking her tail to her jeans instead. “I almost wore my cape, but I know you said that might not go over well in here.”

“You made the right call.” M’gann poured her a glass. “Dar Ruulkt’s the one time of year we try to forget what makes us stand out from the rest. Humans use their holiday to put on masks and fake blood. The Roltikkons use theirs to mock them right back.”

She pointed to the very large horned man dancing with a smaller blue-skinned woman in the corner, one dressed as a nurse, the other a firefighter. Kara couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head at the dichotomy. It was oddly comforting, this mix of alien and Earth customs. It made her feel like she wasn’t the only one who’d had to balance them growing up.

Then again, she also realized everyone else was dressed like a human, and Alex had dressed her up as… a cat.

Her cheeks burned red, a few hours late to the joke. Alex was going to pay for this.

“Who’s your friend?” M’gann eyed J’onn curiously, putting another glass in front of him.

“J’onn J’onzz,” he introduced himself. “I believe we have a few things in common.”

M’gann’s hand froze as she wiped at the counter. Her eyes grew fierce, heavy with distrust.

Kara flinched at the sudden shift in energy. She knew it was a risk bringing J’onn here, especially since M’gann insisted she didn’t want to meet him, but Kara thought if she could just get them together maybe that would change things. She opened her mouth to begin an apology, but the bartender quickly schooled her features, decidedly turning on the charm lest she seem anything but hospitable towards her patrons.

“Seems we do,” M’gann tried, though she was clearly uncomfortable. “But first, cheers.”

“What is this?” Kara asked, giving her drink a sniff.

“Aldebaran rum. A little harder than club soda, if you’re up for it this time.”

“I think I’ll pass,” J’onn insisted.

“Suit yourself.” M’gann shrugged. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”

“A chaperone,” he answered wryly.

“Very well.” She sighed, turning back to Kara. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” Kara clinked their glasses together, taking hers down all in one slurp.

“Oh no, not all… at once,” M’gann warned two seconds too late.

“Whew.” Kara’s eyes went wide, nose scrunched up as she blinked back a few tears. “That wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“You’ll be fine.” M’gann chuckled, but her glance back towards J’onn was still less than friendly. “You’ve got your chaperone here to look out for you.”

Kara swallowed as she felt her limbs start to go a bit floaty, but she did her best to ignore it. Instead, she watched J’onn keep a close eye on the woman behind the bar. It had been centuries since he’d seen another of his kind. Kara could understand his fascination, the desire to learn more about who she was, how they’d both survived all these years without crossing paths.

“Forgive me for being blunt, but why don’t you use your real form?” he asked.

“Why don’t you?” M’gann bit back.

“I guess I thought I was the only one for so long. It’s hard to stand out, even among our fellow aliens.”

“Too true.” She nodded. “It’s not easy being green, as they say.”

“Kermit!” Kara lifted a finger in the air like she’d made a brilliant discovery. “The frog. That was his line.”

“Age old muppet lore, I suppose.” J’onn rolled his eyes.

“Hey, can I have another one of those?” Kara leaned across the bar, whispering loudly.

“Sure.” M’gann smiled. “Just be careful. It’ll sneak up on you.”

***

Back at the pool tables, Alex was giving everyone a run for their money. Literally.

“That’s fifty-five.” She counted the bills she’d accrued, crumpling them into her pocket, the brace on her hand clearly not a hindrance as she cleaned house. “And if I make this next one, you’re gonna have to pay up too, Darla.”

“Hmmm, I’m not worried.” The waitress glared. “Maggie’s got me covered, right, babe?”

“I don’t remember agreeing to that.” Maggie shook her head, watching Alex closely as she cued up to take her shot.

“That’s because you haven’t.” Darla bit her lip. “Yet.”

She snaked her arms around Maggie’s neck, teasing her tongue across her ear, tracing the cartilage, all the while keeping one eye fixed on Alex.

“Oh,” Alex waffled, taking a step back, surprised by her own reaction. “Gosh, uh, you know what? I’m actually gonna have to cut this game short.”

She knew she had no right to be jealous. She’d only known Maggie for a short time, but seeing her with someone else made her stomach twist in ways she wasn’t expecting.

“What do you mean!” one of the other Roltikkons, a testy fellow named Dave, protested. “If we don’t finish, we get our money back! Those are the rules!”

“That’s fine.” She began quickly doling out cash. “Sorry, guys. I forgot I have to head back to the office before calling it a night.”

“What’s wrong, Danvers?” Maggie whispered, shaking away from Darla.

“Nothing,” Alex insisted. “I just have to go. I have a lot to do, honestly. I shouldn’t have even come in the first place.”

She did, in fact, have her hands full strategizing how they might rescue Jeremiah, but there wasn’t much she could accomplish that night. Still, she felt guilty for losing her focus, for allowing herself to think she could pretend everything was fine when he was stuck there.

“Well before you go, I’d scoop up your sister first.” Maggie nudged their attention back towards the bar. “You don’t want to leave her alone in here tonight, that’s for sure.”

“She can take care of herself.” Alex narrowed her eyes. “But thanks.”

Maggie frowned, sighing as Alex walked away. She turned back to the table, letting Darla slip her hand in her pocket while they watched the leader re-rack the balls for another game.

***

Before Alex could get to Kara, Winn showed up out of nowhere, yanking her into a corner away from the rest of the crowd.

“What?” She looked at him intently, noting the twitch he tended to get when things were about to hit the fan. “What is it?”

“I think Kara might have been onto something,” he shared. “About Lillian. I double, triple checked the flight records? Iffy at best.”

“That still doesn’t prove she was at Cadmus.” Alex shook her head skeptically. “There were witnesses. A whole wedding.”

“Yeah, but someone went out of their way to make it look like she was sipping piña coladas and jetting around on yachts instead of here in National City,” he argued. “Those photos? Some of them might be photoshopped. Shouldn’t we tell Ms. Grant?”

“Tell her what?” Kara practically bowled him over, leaning on his shoulder for support.

“Whoa, did somebody pour gasoline in your mouth?” he asked, struggling to hold her up.

“No? Why, is my face on fire? That happens sometimes when I get too hot.” She snorted. “No it doesn’t. That was a joke. Alien Halloween is fun.”

“Oh my god.” Alex put her hand over her mouth. “Kara Danvers, drunk. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Well here it is.” Kara made a big sweeping gesture with her arm, scratching at her painted whiskers. “And it’s a whole lot more different than I thought it would be.”

“Are you okay?” Alex lifted Kara’s chin, checking her pupils to make sure she hadn’t been drugged.

“I’m fine!” Kara batted her away. “What were you saying ‘bout Ms. Grant?”

“Winn found something.” Alex sighed. “Lillian might not have been a delusion after all.”

“ _Seriously?_ ” Kara lit up. “Oh my god, we… we have to do something! Now. Right now. Go get J’onn.”

“No one’s doing anything until we firm up our sources, and you _especially_ aren’t doing anything tonight. Let’s go.”

“But we have to stop Cadbur… Cadmus,” she corrected. “Ooo, Cadbury eggs! Can I have one? Please?”

“It’s _July_.” Alex tried to talk some sense into her as they rounded up J’onn, the three of them wrangling their superhero into the car, making sure she got home in one piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)), spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)) and musetotheworld ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/musetotheworld) | [tumblr](http://musetotheworld.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	5. Act III

|   
---|---  
|   
|   
  
A little Sanvers appreciation tonight as @mitski brings the 'Halloween' party to life.

Share the love for @mitski! ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mitski) | [tumblr](http://mitski.tumblr.com)). You can leave comments about it here, or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://mitski.tumblr.com/ask).


	6. Act III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara deals with the aftermath of her first drunk dial. Cat meets with James about CatCo, and Cadmus makes their next move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another amazing title gif created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

Kara felt like everything around her was spinning, composed of snapshots rather than actual live images behind her eyelids. As wasted as she was, she was also determined. She hauled her laptop onto the dining room table, flopping into her chair before opening it up, forgetting why she had done so in the first place. Her eyes glazed across the length of her apartment, taking in all the pretty colors. The antique lights above the island in the kitchen looked like giant fireflies with halos around them. She spotted her phone on the counter next, carrying her feet as fast as she could, even though they felt like lead. Finally, she picked up the device, perching on a stool before calling one of the only numbers she kept on speed dial.

“Are you alright?” Cat answered groggily. “What time is it? Is something wrong?”

“I am _grood_ ,” Kara assured her. “Good, even. Golden.”

“It’s 3:30 in the morning.” Cat yawned, and Kara tried to ignore the sound of rustling sheets. “I was just settling into the first of my two required hours of sleep, so there better be something–”

“I went to that party tonight,” Kara spilled like it was a salacious secret.

“I see.” Cat’s tone went from annoyed to slightly more interested. “Well, that explains things. Are you about to tell me you got arrested? Please say you weren’t accidentally booked on solicitation, Kara. I know you millennials and your tendency to shy away from clothing in the wee hours, particularly where costumes are concerned. Really. I expected better.”

“I… what are you… no, silly, I went as you.” She blushed, only vaguely aware of her overly familiar verbiage. “I mean, not _you_ you, but a cat. A kitty.”

“Original.”

“Yes, and it was very pure.”

“Hmm,” Cat mused, voice raspy with sleep and an ignited imagination. “I’m sure it was.”

“Is it okay if I call you Kitty?” she asked, playing with her tail.

Silence. Kara could have sworn she heard Cat’s pulse flutter, but her senses were off given her current state.

“Fine,” Kara relented. “What I was really calling to tell you was that I did some digging into Lillian. Well, Winn did, but I asked him to, and he does everything I say, so…”

“I told you not to do that,” Cat snipped.

“But she might not have been in Tahiti or wherever she was supposed to be!” Kara shouted excitedly. “I knew you were right. I should have looked into it sooner, I just–”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” Cat said, beginning to lose her patience. “I’m hanging up. Someone could be listening.”

“Are you… seriously mad at me? I just want you to be okay!”

“Well I’m _not_ ,” Cat spoke harshly. “I’m not okay, and I can’t pretend to be. Any therapist worth their salt will tell you that. Pushing down feelings without dealing with them only makes them come back stronger in the end. It’s taken me a lifetime to understand that. Don’t make my mistakes.”

“That’s why I’m trying to help you!”

“I don’t need your help. Not this kind. It doesn’t make things any easier. Are you home?”

“Yes.” Kara leaned over, smacking her face on the table. “Head. Heavy.”

“Good.” Cat swallowed. “Go to sleep.”

“ _Please,_ ” Kara tried again. “Just listen–”

“Don’t beg, Kara.” She sighed. “It’s not a pretty look, even for you.”

“Cat…”

“Good night,” she breathed before hanging up.

Kara looked at the phone like it had slapped her, like it was her worst enemy and best friend all in one, and she couldn’t tell them apart. She dropped it back onto the table, crossing her arms, collapsing into them as she shut her eyes and faded into sleep.

***

“Thanks for meeting me here.” James smiled at Cat across the table at Noonan’s, holding his latte with both hands.

“So long as you agree to tackle anyone who approaches me with questions I’m not ready to answer,” Cat negotiated, hiding as best she could behind her hot beverage.

“Of course.” He smirked. “But I have a few questions of my own, like why you still haven’t come back yet. I understood when you were first heading home, but it’s been a week, and I know how restless you get.”

“Because.” She sighed, looking away wistfully. “I’m not in a position to run a company when I can barely manage to get myself going in the mornings. I suffered a trauma, Mr. Olsen. Surely you can appreciate how debilitating that is.”

“I know what Cadmus did to you,” he spoke softly, compassionately. “And I realize it’s not going to go away overnight. But this isn’t the first time you’ve been caught up in some bad business. Livewire, Siobhan. Why are you gonna let this be the thing that keeps you from getting back on the horse? It might even help you recover faster if you have something else to focus–”

“I don’t have to explain myself.” Cat tensed. “I chose you because I thought you could handle it, but if you’re telling me otherwise…”

“Cat,” he whispered, reaching for her hand across the table. She flinched a little at first, but slowly relaxed into the touch. “We’ve known each other for a while. I get if you don’t want to tell me everything. You don’t have to, but I’m worried about you, and I’m here to listen, just like you’ve always been there to listen to me, lift me up, give me a kick in the pants, whatever I needed. Maybe it’s time to let other people be the support you need for a change.”

It took a lot to make Cat cry in public, though it was easier than most might expect. She felt her eyes welling up, but stopped them, squeezing James’s hand a little before pulling away.

“That’s very kind of you.” She sniffed, taking another sip from her giant mug. “But it doesn’t change my mind. I need you to keep things going at CatCo until I can… I just need you to do this for me. Is that going to be a problem?”

“No, absolutely not. But I hope, in time, you’ll be back to sit in the big chair yourself. Can I count on that?”

With the way she was feeling, she hated to make promises she wasn’t sure she could keep, but if that was the reassurance he needed, then so be it.

“My name’s still on the building, isn’t it? I’ll be back. I told you I would.”

“Okay then.” He smiled. “But I have to admit, it’s not easy. I never thought it was but… I don’t know how you did it, Ms. Grant.”

“Well it was no walk in the park when I first started either. But I wouldn’t have chosen you if I didn’t think you were up for the challenge. I’m here if you have questions, though Snapper should be able to handle most of them. Not with the same grace and charm as I would, mind you.”

“That’s for damn sure,” James said with a laugh.

“Is he treating you fairly?”

“Most days,” James admitted. “I think we’re working out the kinks.”

“Good.” She smiled. “I’m happy to hear it.”

“Actually, I have to head back up to meet with him now.” He stood, pushing in his chair. “But it looks like there’s someone else here who wants to talk to you.”

Cat scowled, expecting to turn around and see one of her least favorite board members. Instead she spotted Kara, hanging back by the breakfast counter sheepishly, looking like she might walk right back out if the wind changed directions too quickly.

“I’ll see you around.” James squeezed Cat’s shoulder gently before giving Kara a wink on his way out the door.

Cat stood slowly, gathering her belongings, hanging her jacket over her arm before crossing through the busy cafe, heels clicking beneath starched black trousers and a white cashmere sweater. Kara was biting her lip so hard to keep from shaking it looked like it might bruise.

“Well.” Cat exhaled. “You’re alive this morning. That’s a start.”

“Ms. Grant, I am so sorry,” she spoke quietly. “I don’t even… I mean, I remember some things, but not–”

“It’s alright.” Cat rolled her eyes. “God knows I’ve made a fool of myself a few times with you in this very establishment. Just tell me you were drinking something as least as high brow as gin martinis and I’ll feel better about the whole thing.”

“I don’t know if I can make that claim.” Kara winced. “But honestly, I shouldn’t have called you like that. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You were thinking you were trying to help me.” Cat swallowed. “Something I don’t do well with anyone, apparently.”

“I know you said to drop it, but I just couldn’t.” Kara sighed. “Alex says there are too many witnesses, but Winn did find reason to believe the flight records aren’t real, so that’s–”

“Not enough to accuse a cabinet secretary of something so heinous.” Cat shook her head. “With her security clearance, no doubt there’s decoy information plugged in with multiple airlines. I know how these things work, Kara. Don’t go scurrying down a rabbit hole that doesn’t exist.”

“I’m sorry for getting your hopes up.” Kara fought back her own tears. “I just thought if I could give you something, anything, maybe you’d stop beating yourself up about this.”

“If only it were that simple.” Cat smiled sadly. “You don’t know Lillian like I do. Whether she was really there or not, I’m beating myself up because I let her get under my skin in other ways, some that are far more complicated than Cadmus, if you can believe that. I let my personal distaste for the woman cloud my thinking, giving her more power than she deserves, and _that_ is why I need you to drop this.”

“What did she do to you?” Kara asked softly.

Cat took a deep breath, shaking her head again, looking away.

“She was with Adam’s father,” she confessed. “After he and I ended.”

“Oh.” Kara faltered. “That’s… I did not know that.”

“Yes, and now Adam’s thinking about moving to National City to take a job with L Corp. He’s stayed close with her, and she’s offering him opportunities on a silver platter that I never could. She’ll get her hooks in, one way or another.”

“Well, then that’s why you should at least let me rule her out as a suspect,” Kara insisted.

“Please,” Cat persisted. “Let this go. I was wrong. It’s embarrassing enough admitting that to myself. Besides, whoever actually was bent on taking me down could choose to go through anyone close to me to do it again, and I wouldn’t want you tangled up in that as far as it can be helped.”

“But it can’t,” Kara argued. “I’m already a target because of who I am. Me investigating doesn’t change anything. All it does is get us closer to knowing who we’re up against, and that’s something the DEO can use to help protect all of us.”

Cat knew she was right. She was still fighting the urge to keep Kara shielded from the dangers of the world when it was clear she never could. Supergirl wasn’t someone she ever doubted or felt like she had to protect. She believed in her wholeheartedly, knew she could count on her strength and abilities to defeat even the most diabolical threats. This was no different. It was just personal now that the two women Cat cared so much about were one in the same, and that made it harder to see clearly.

“Okay.” Cat shrugged. “I’ll give up on trying to prevent you from helping me if you’ll let me continue tagging along on a case or two.”

“I think we can work something out.” Kara beamed. “We make a good team, you and I.”

“Yes,” Cat breathed, rocking a little on her heels. “We do. How is that article coming, by the way?”

“Not great.” Kara sighed. “I can’t use the DEO as a source, and Snapper won’t accept the story from M’gann without a name, so… I don’t know what to do.”

“It can be tricky.” Cat nodded. “Lean on your sources at the NCPD, give Snapper some quotes with a clear connection and hope of follow through, and he’ll start to come around on the rest. Things are still developing. You have the inside pass on exactly how quickly they might unfold, so let that reassure you it will come together in the end.”

“Thanks, Ms. Grant.” Kara smiled.

“You’re welcome. And I think it’s time we start going strictly by first names, don’t you? So long as it doesn’t lead to you calling me Kitty. I hate that moniker almost as much as I hate the word ‘deplorables.’”

“Ah, yes.” Kara laughed softly. “Okay, Cat. No worries.”

Cat looked away again, trying desperately not to let on just how much she enjoyed hearing her name on Kara’s lips.

A sharp noise from the TVs near the espresso machines threw them for a loop, heads turning towards the screens. The morning news faded out to a crackling montage of terror and mayhem, before settling on a live feed. It was dark at first, but soon the image of Lar-On appeared, howling and breathing heavily as he shook the mangled form of another victim from his jaws, blood splattering across the camera, the sound of bones crunching and flesh tearing as he fed. Kara threw her hand over her mouth, eyes stinging as she watched in horror, Cat grabbing her arm as they both witnessed the carnage helplessly. People inside the cafe fled into the street screaming while others looked on, hardly able to believe what they were seeing.

“You were warned,” the synthesized voice announced as the graphic video continued. “This is what happens when monsters are allowed to live among the rest of us. Your president believes creatures such as this should be protected under the law. We will not allow this madness to continue. We will not stop until every alien threat is destroyed and we are free of the disease that has afflicted our society for too long, before another one of our kind is taken. Don’t look away. This is what they want, but we will not stop until they are gone. We are Cadmus.”

The screens went black. Murmurs continued as people pushed away their meals, talking in hushed voices, consoling each other.

“I have to get back to the DEO,” Kara stressed, turning to Cat, gently gripping her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I…” She swallowed. “Much better than whoever that poor soul was.”

“I’ll send in the detail to take you home,” Kara told her, pulling away. “Stay inside.”

Cat nodded, looking a bit pale as she watched Kara zip off again, leaving her standing in the middle of Noonan’s, shaken, but more determined than ever to make Cadmus pay for what they’d done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)), spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)), Revolos55 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Revolos55/pseuds/Revolos55) | [tumblr](http://saunteringvaguelydownwards.tumblr.com/ask)), and musetotheworld ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/musetotheworld) | [tumblr](http://musetotheworld.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	7. Act IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Supergirl Virtual Season...

Drunk dial time from @catgranting, isn’t it freaking adorable? ([tumblr](https://catgranting.tumblr.com))

Don’t forget to tell our artists what you loved most!


	8. Act IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supergirl faces off with Lar On as she battles the DEO over their tactics. Alex and Maggie have an awkward conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another amazing title gif created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

“Any ID on the victim?” Alex asked as she assembled her team.

“Looks like another John Doe,” J’onn shared. “Cadmus are picking off the homeless population like low hanging fruit, as if we needed any other indication of how evil they were.”

“I’ll start searching the neighborhood,” Kara offered.

“Not alone you won’t,” Alex insisted. “You need backup.”

The agents began loading their rifles. Alex saw Kara’s eyes go wide, taken aback by their glowing green artillery.

“Wait, what is that?” Kara shook her head. “I thought you gave all the DEO’s kryptonite to Kal?”

“We did.” J’onn looked away uncomfortably.

“So you lied?” Kara lashed out.

Ever since Astra’s death, Alex knew Kara had a visceral reaction to the prospect of using kryptonite. She more than anyone understood that. It made sense why Clark wanted to get rid of it all, even if working for the DEO made her more sympathetic to J’onn’s side of the debate.

“I couldn’t deplete us of every resource needed to take down a Kryptonian threat,” he fought back. “It’s my job to make sure we have everything we need, no matter the scenario. We gave Superman our loose reserves, but with the debris from Cadmus, we were able to replenish some necessary supply. Without this ammunition, we’d be completely defenseless.”

“I can’t believe this.” Kara seethed. “After everything we saw at Cadmus? After everything you and Cat went through? How could you possibly stoop to their level?”

“Kara,” Alex warned.

“Can we please hold off on using lethal force except as a last resort?”

“Are you really trying to protect this guy?” J’onn argued. “He’s a killer, Supergirl. Doesn’t matter what planet he’s from.”

“I know, but I don’t think he can help himself,” she persisted. “This isn’t someone who started off as a murderer. He was made into one, first by my father, then Henshaw, now Cadmus. It’s his nature to feed, but when I looked into his eyes… I saw the man behind the monster, tormented by his own actions. He said he couldn’t stop, not that he didn’t want to. I know he has to pay for what he’s done, but not with his life.”

“It’s true.” Alex swallowed. “We know Cadmus use mind control to force their will. They’re weaponizing aliens against humans, spinning it as propaganda so they can use it to bolster their plans for alien genocide.”

“You’re both assuming he’s an unwilling participant in all of this.” J’onn shook his head. “That may not be the case.”

“He deserves the chance to be heard,” Kara continued. “Please. Let me try to reach him before using these weapons.”

“We’ll do our best,” J’onn agreed. “The city’s on lockdown. That’ll help with our search.”

“Let’s head out then.” Alex gave the command.

***

The NCPD squad met up with the DEO at the edge of the woods, with Maggie calling the shots. Alex played it cool as she watched her approach, trying not to make eye contact, summoning the height of her professionality.

“You’re using K-9s to track our hostile?”

“He may be ‘your hostile,’ but he’s also part animal,” Maggie reminded. “They can pick up on his scent better than your soldiers can.”

“That’s… fine, just get us into position,” Alex huffed.

Maggie balked a bit at her tone, but she let it go. Alex was thankful for it. There were much bigger things to worry about.

It took some time to track Lar-On’s trail through the thickly settled forest, with its sharp vines and hidden drops. Once they reached the train tracks heading into the tunnel, Kara spotted him up on the rails, looking down into the ravine below. He was alone, his posture making him seem more terrified than threatening.

“Hold your fire!” Alex told both her own team and the officers as they approached. “Supergirl, be careful. If it’s too much, don’t hesitate to let us help you.”

“Got it,” Kara answered, landing as steadily as she could on the rickety structure, at least a dozen yards from the wolf. He turned when he sensed her presence, letting out a territorial snarl, gripping the tracks with all fours as he held his ground.

“Lar-On of Krypton!” she called to him. “I’m here to help you!”

“Go!” he growled almost mercifully. “Nothing… can stop…”

“I’m sorry for what my father did to you! I don’t understand what happened back then, but I’m willing to help you now.”

“No help!” he cried. “Lar-On… beyond help.”

“I don’t think you meant to kill anyone.” She stepped closer, taking a chance. “You don’t have to let Cadmus control you. The DEO can help you fight this.”

“No DEO!” he shouted, letting go of the rails with his upper arms, balancing on hind legs, towering against the blistering sky. “DEO, Cadmus… same. Both create… monsters.”

Kara’s breath caught as she watched the crimson beast prepare to fling himself from the bridge.

“Please!” She stepped even closer. “Don’t do this. The DEO has made mistakes in the past, but they’re not the same. They’ve changed. _You_ can change. Let us try to help you!”

Just then, a helicopter swooped in, non-government issue, kryptonite bullets ricocheting across the bridge and into the woods. Cadmus had come to collect their weapon.

“Alex!” Kara warned, doing her best to dodge them.

“Fall back, Supergirl!” her sister instructed. “It’s too dangerous!”

“I can’t let them take him again!” Kara cried, turning back to the wolf just as he was shot with a dart from the helicopter, feet tumbling off the metal guards, plummeting out of sight, into the mist from the river several stories below.

Alex watched through her scope as Kara dove after him without appearing to give it a second thought.

“Supergirl, no!” she screamed.

Silence. Several seconds passed before her sister ascended from the darkness, holding the unconscious mutant in her arms. The DEO agents fired full throttle against the chopper, until they were forced to retreat. Kara laid the creature out against the bed of pine needles below their feet, stepping away, allowing the team to secure his paws with cuffs made of Kryptonian steel, one of the only things strong enough to restrain her kind.

Alex ran to her, throwing her arms around her shoulders, clutching her tightly, not caring who was watching.

“Don’t do that again! You could have been killed, or captured. Then where would that leave us?”

“Alex…” Kara squeezed her back.

It was Alex’s job to protect her, to let her know when she was acting recklessly, though she knew Kara couldn’t promise to not take risks on this or any other mission. Still, emotions when it came to Cadmus were raw, heightened beyond what Alex could typically stomach. Even she worried what that might mean for the future, but for now, she kept her arm around her sister. Thankfully the NCPD backed off, retreating to their cruisers. Alex watched the DEO agents carry Lar-On to the perimeter, loading him into a van to return to the lab.

***

Kara sat next to the red giant, watching him breathe, checking the monitors every so often as J’onn and Alex moved about the room, analyzing the results of their tests. They used incredibly high doses of diluted kryptonite to keep him subdued, though Lar-On was so massive, not even that much could keep him completely sedated. He’d sustained injuries from his fall, weakened by the bullet Cadmus inflicted, but he was still alive. Kara couldn’t help but think back to how she’d sat in this exact place with Mon-El just a few weeks ago. All she ever wanted was to find more pieces of her home, but after so much disappointment, now she thought maybe things were better the way they were before.

“Looks like they used synthetic Red K to keep degrading his physiology over the years,” J’onn reported. “It destroyed his ability to shapeshift back to his Kryptonian form.”

“So he…” Kara swallowed. “There’s no way to…”

“I’m afraid not,” he shared regrettably. “We can keep trying, but the chances of recovering his original DNA sequence are slim to none.”

Kara reached out hesitantly, running her fingers over the thick fur of his shoulder, offering what solace she could. She felt responsible for him in some way, like it was her job to save him, even if she knew she couldn’t help what had already been done, or the fact that he’d taken lives she also mourned. It was a complex array of emotions, but in that moment, she was compelled to be his advocate in whatever had to come next.

“Can he speak?” she asked.

“He should be able to,” Alex spoke softly, seeming to understand. “We’ll be outside, if you need anything.”

Kara nodded, sitting up straight before leaning closer, considering what she could possibly say. She was still leery from the time Mon-El attacked her, but as far as she could tell this was different, and she was willing to take the chance, even if she knew better than to get her hopes up.

“Lar-On?” she whispered hesitantly. “I’m… I’m so sorry. I know… I won’t make excuses for what my father did, but I have to believe he was trying to help you.”

“Yes,” he breathed heavily. “Zor-El… try help… but fail.”

The admission gave Kara some comfort, though it didn’t explain everything, including why he’d been banished to the Phantom Zone.

“Did you…” she began again. “On Krypton, were you able to control your impulse to feed?”

“No. Lar-On… made evil. Cannot… stop.”

She wondered if sending him away in a pod, rendering him unconscious, destined to float in stasis for all eternity might have seemed less cruel than the alternative of locking him up in Fort Rozz. It was possible her parents disagreed with each other on what action they should take, and she could see both sides. Her father always led with his heart. Alura, while warm in her own way, was often ruled by logic, sometimes to a level Kara questioned now in retrospect. Maybe they weren’t always as aligned as she’d thought. She’d been a child, after all, shielded from her parents’ arguments, whether they were about this case or discussions over the fate of their world.

“I don’t know what to do.” She sighed, almost to herself as she tried to connect with the creature. “There has to be justice for the victims, but… you’re a victim too, in many ways. I can’t let you go, and we can’t send you back to the Phantom Zone.”

“Please.” He shuddered, chest pounding hard as he struggled against his restraints, but he wasn’t strong enough to do any damage. “End this. Make… stop…”

The plea tore Kara’s heart wide open. He was asking for mercy, to be spared a life of imprisonment and anguish over the crimes he’d committed. It almost made sense, the request to be killed, though she knew the DEO would never agree to it, and she could never take his life, no matter how corrupted or hopeless things were.

“I can’t,” she said, sniffing back tears. “But I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. That’s the least I can do.”

“No DEO!” He writhed against the table, trying to fight. Kara wasn’t even sure he was aware of his surroundings or who was speaking to him. “DEO… Cadmus… same! Both prison!”

She bit her lip hard to keep from breaking, pushing off the stool, pacing a little, looking down at the beast once more as he growled.

“That’s all I can offer.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”

She exited the exam room, listening to his weakened howls as she wandered the halls alone for a while, getting as far away as she could, trying to clear her head of its noise.

The truth was, she didn’t know what happened to most of the criminals the DEO captured. She wasn’t sure exactly what kind of life they had, but she believed they were treated humanely, despite their atrocities. There wasn’t much of an alternative, but the idea of sentencing someone, anyone, to a life of solitary confinement made her uneasy.

After a while, she found J’onn sitting by a window, looking like he had a lot on his mind too. He glanced up when he saw her, folding his hands, shaking his head.

“I understand if you’re upset with me,” he breathed. “I would be too if I were you.”

“I’m not upset.” She shook her head, taking a seat next to him. “I get the position you’re in, all the gray areas. I don’t blame you for turning to the most effective method for taking down a Kryptonian, but there are other ways.”

“Dheronian metal,” he replied, nodding. “Red solar grenades, not to mention the bullets we could manufacture from the materials in your pod. But those take time, and I didn’t know how much we had. My first job is to protect the residents of this city, and the planet beyond that. And my second is to protect you.”

“Kind of ironic then to make weapons that could kill me, no?” Kara pointed out, trying to show she was willing to meet him halfway.

“You’re right. I promise to invest more resources into developing alternative methods.”

“Thank you,” she breathed. “I just hope we’re doing the right thing with Lar-On.”

“There’s no other way. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s true.”

“When I started out as Supergirl, I thought my focus would be protecting humans. But it turns out there are a lot of aliens who need saving too, and there could be more if Cadmus have their way. This time lives were lost on both sides, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

“You did everything you could.” J’onn put a hand on her shoulder. “Wrestling him away from Cadmus, stopping him from taking more innocent lives against his will. More than that, you believed he wasn’t really a monster even after he’d been changed. That took courage, and heart.”

Kara shook her head. She couldn’t accept credit for any of this, but she could make good on her promise to make sure he was treated with as much compassion as possible, even if he did have to spend the rest of his life in an underground cell.

“Thanks, J’onn.” She forced a smile. “So… you think you’ll see M’gann any time soon?”

“I have no idea.” He shrugged. “But I hope so.”

***

“Hey.” Maggie ran into Alex outside the DEO. She’d waited for a least an hour, hoping to catch the agent as she was heading home. “That sure was a shit show, wasn’t it?”

“No more or less than any other day, I suppose.” Alex sighed, crossing her arms and adjusting her bag against her shoulder. “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to stop by and see if everything’s okay between us.” Maggie shoved her hands in her pockets. “Things felt a little off at the bar last night.”

Truthfully, she was afraid Alex might have more intel on Cadmus, but she couldn’t say as much. Letting the DEO take Lar-On was the best move she could make given the suspicion over Scorcher’s death. Still, she wanted to keep her relationship with Alex as good as she could, given the necessary restraints.

Alex breathed deeply, more distracted than usual.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just didn’t know you and Darla…”

“We’re not,” Maggie clarified, putting up a hand to stop her. “I mean, she’s my ex. Sometimes we still get a little flirty, and she’s sort of the jealous type. But I told her there’s nothing to be jealous about. It’s not like you’re into me or anything.”

“Right.” Alex shook her head vigorously, swallowing hard. “No, definitely not.”

_Ouch._ Maggie tried not to sink into the sidewalk.

“But we are friends, yeah?” Maggie asked. “Because… I really like hanging out with you.”

“Of course.” Alex nodded. “Friends.”

“Good. Well, I’m gonna head out then.” Maggie ran a hand through her hair. “It’s taco night at the bar, plus all the Roltikkons are hungover. M’gann could use some help cleaning up the damage; you wanna come with?” she asked hesitantly.

“I can’t. Thanks, though.” Alex waved her off. “You go ahead.”

“Alright.” Maggie flashed her most conciliatory smile. “Don’t be a stranger, Danvers.”

“You too, Sawyer,” she breathed, walking away.

Maggie shook it off, forcing herself let go of the hurt building up inside, knowing it was better this way, even if she still hoped it might change.

***

Jeremiah sat in front of the one screen he was permitted to watch, though the content was always chosen for him. He’d been following the news for days, tracking Lar-On’s movements with the rest of the Cadmus crew, listening as they strategized the best methods for making him do their bidding. Jeremiah’s guilt for his own part in keeping the Kryptonian wolf pumped full of drugs ate away at him, as it did with every torture project he’d been forced to help orchestrate. The blood was on his hands now as much as Lillian’s. Yes, he did it to protect his girls, but it was still a choice. Their lives over the lives of the aliens he made suffer. Their lives over the innocent people who had been killed by the beast that shared Kara’s DNA. Even the small spark of pride he felt watching her trying to reason with Lar-On on the bridge couldn’t make up for the devastation he’d caused. He only hoped someday she could forgive him.

“So much for Plan B,” Lillian huffed as she waltzed into the lab, pulling on her white coat before digging into a box of rubber gloves, letting the elastic snap against her fingers.

“You could have killed her!” Jeremiah spun around, spitting through clenched teeth.

“Who?” she asked facetiously. “Oh, you mean your little orphan alien? It’s not my fault she’s so determined to stick her nose in places it doesn’t belong. If she insists on getting in the way, her disposal may be inevitable, though what a shame. Her blood could become quite handy down the line–”

“Just stop!” He slammed his hand on the table, the bracelet on his wrist digging into his skin. “You have me. I’m not going anywhere, but my daughters stay safe. That’s the deal we had.”

“Well, things change.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “Anyway, she escaped unharmed. For now.”

Jeremiah didn’t know how much more of this he could take. Now that he knew Lillian was willing to go so much further than he ever thought possible, he wasn’t sure his survival really made a difference. If she was determined to go after his family eventually, why should he keep cooperating? Then again, what choice did he have? He was under constant surveillance since the destruction of the other facility. Even if he wanted to put an end to all of this, there was no way to end it in sight.

“Stop sulking and get back to work,” Lillian snapped. “The marketing team is working on rolling out the next phase. Time to do our part.”

He took one last look at the looped footage, eyes resting on Kara’s face, the symbol on her suit, once again fueling himself with the faith that maybe one day, she and Alex would find a way to bring him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)), spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)), Revolos55 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Revolos55/pseuds/Revolos55) | [tumblr](http://saunteringvaguelydownwards.tumblr.com/ask)), and musetotheworld ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/musetotheworld) | [tumblr](http://musetotheworld.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	9. Act V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Supergirl Virtual Season...

|   
---|---  
|   
|   
|   
|   
  
Those space dad feels, courtesy of @mitski

Share the love for @mitski! ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mitski) | [tumblr](http://mitski.tumblr.com)). You can leave comments about it here, or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://mitski.tumblr.com/ask).


	10. Act V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As M’gann continues to dodge J’onn, we learn more about her past. Kara accepts Cat’s invitation to celebrate their latest victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another amazing title gif created by @xy0009 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009) | [tumblr](http://xy0009.tumblr.com))

M’gann lifted the last few bags of bottles and other unseemly trash into the bin behind the bar, shaking off her hands, wiping the excess grime on her well-worn jeans. Dar Ruulkt was always a mess, but it was definitely one of her favorite things about owning the place. Helping other aliens hold onto their traditions was important, even if she wasn’t able to retain any of her own.

Just as she was about to head back inside, she heard a shuffle in the shadows. Flinching, she turned towards the far corner of the lot, scanning the darkness for signs of a threat.

“Who’s there?” she called, hands balling into fists, muscles flexing beneath her black tank top.

“Just me.” J’onn stepped into the dim light, holding out his hands like a peace offering. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Well, sneaking up on someone in a dark alley tends to do that.” She rolled her eyes.

“I just wanted to tell you again how happy I was to meet you last night,” he shared. “I was hoping we might spend some more time together, get to know one another, if you–”

“I don’t have a lot of time for friends.” She crossed her arms. “I’m not sure what you’re looking for, but I’ve been just fine all these years on my own. I’m sorry if that’s disappointing for you.”

“I see.” He looked down at his feet sadly. “If that’s how you really feel, I’ll have to respect it. But should you change your mind…”

“I wouldn’t count on it. But thanks.”

“Very well.” He nodded. “Sorry to disturb you then.”

“It’s fine.” She shook her head, regretting her decision just as soon as he turned away. “See you around, J’onn.”

When he was gone, she cursed at the sky, kicking herself sufficiently, wishing she could lean on someone else for once, someone who clearly wanted to offer their support, someone who might come close to understanding half the things she’d been through. But there was no way she could take him up on the offer.

She crossed through the junkyard, stepping in front of an old, burnt out refrigerator, the insides fried. It was rusted beyond repair, though the outside still had its industrial sheen. She looked at her chosen form, admiring its attractiveness, aware she’d chosen wisely. She was beautiful enough to entice people to talk, let alone buy another round, but also tough, reserved, so the same people knew where to draw their boundaries. Still, every now and then she needed a reminder of why she couldn’t let someone like J’onn know the real her beneath the skin she displayed for the world.

Slowly, her form shifted into its natural state, towering well above the broken appliance, hands and feet forming bulbous talons, flesh stretching and wrinkling, face contorting into its ferocious, decidedly terrifying mug. She’d been around long enough to know this wasn’t a look people could warm up to, not here, not anywhere outside the home to which she’d never return.

She stared at her White Martian form, forcing herself to remember the horrors committed by her people, the reasons she broke away, and why she must continue to hide. If J’onn saw her like this, surely he’d hate her, though no more than she hated herself at times. When she’d had enough, she shrunk back down to her human disguise, shaking off the excess dust she’d stirred up around her before heading back inside the bar.

***

Cat sent Kara a message as soon as the article came out, singing her praises, never holding back on the list of critiques, though she did invite her over to celebrate just the same. Kara accepted eagerly, still reeling from the incident with Lar-On, hoping this might take her mind off the lingering guilt for a while. She spent way too long getting ready, overthinking what to wear, overthinking everything, she was sure, but it was a welcome distraction.

The doorman allowed her to go right up when she arrived, remembering her face from days earlier. As she stepped off the elevator, she found the door left open, taking a deep breath before letting herself inside. Immediately, the savory aroma of whatever dinner had been cooking wafted to her nose, whetting her appetite as it played pleasantly with the scent of sandalwood and gardenias, the way it always did wherever Cat was. Kara couldn’t help but picture her leaning over the stove, stirring some tried and true recipe, tasting the sauce until it was perfect. She was sure Cat would fixate on each layer, dissecting every nuance like she did when she was editing, deciding what to nix and what to keep in for next time.

Rarely did Kara allow herself to fantasize about Cat’s domestic life so freely, but right now, it was impossible not to. Cat had asked her to come over tonight, not as an employee, not as an assistant or a babysitter, but as a guest. A friend, in whatever sense that word was shaping up to mean for them now. Surely that had to make it okay to indulge a few of her daydreams, at least this once.

“Hello?” she called as she stepped into the spacious living room, admiring the photos on the mantle, heels sinking into the plush white carpet rolled out across herringbone wood floors. “Cat?”

“Kara!” A much younger voice came barreling down the hall.

“Carter!” She smiled widely, a tiny _oof_ escaping her lips as he threw himself against her, hugging her so much tighter than the last time they’d seen each other. “I didn’t know you were back yet. Gosh, you’re tall!”

“Thanks. Mom hired extra security to look out at my school,” he shared as he let go. “She says we have to be careful, but I’m just glad to be home.”

“Me too.” She grinned, looking up as Cat sauntered down the hall, smirking at the two of them while leaning against the archway. “And don’t worry. You’re going to be just fine. Your mom too. Supergirl will make sure of that.”

“I know she will.” Carter beamed.

“I couldn’t stand keeping him away any longer, now that my plans have changed.” Cat joined them, ruffling her son’s ample curls, draping her arm over his shoulder. “Besides, we have too many of our shows to catch up on. The DVR can only hold so many hours of Steven Universe without shapeshifting into a crystal gem itself.”

“You know you like it too!” he contended. “It’s uncanny. Mom’s got Pearl’s voice down to a science.”

“She does, does she?” Kara gaped, laughing softly as she watched the blush creep up Cat’s neck, peeking out from beneath the navy silk blouse she wore with a painted on pencil skirt.

_Rao she looks good._ Kara swallowed, reminding herself to breathe, slipping the bottle of wine she brought back into her purse.

“Carter was just about to finish his homework,” Cat noted, almost as if on cue.

“But can’t I hang out with you guys for a while first?” he argued. “I haven’t even had a chance to test out the Nintendo Switch yet. This would be the perfect opportunity!”

“Yes, and there will be plenty of other opportunities, ones that don’t conflict with your ability to finish your history paper,” Cat warned.

“Fine.” He sighed, seeming to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Kara bit her lip, stifling a giggle at what a miniature version of Cat he was turning out to be. “Come back soon, okay, Kara?”

“I will,” she agreed boldly, head spinning at the prospect of there being more invitations like this.

Carter hugged her again before giving his mother a squeeze, clearly relieved to be back with her, even if he did sulk a little as he made the trek to his room.

“Is that a bottle of whatever had you speaking in spoonerisms the other night?” Cat teased.

“No,” Kara admitted. “That wasn’t something I could share without inflicting lethal damage, but hopefully I remembered the organic vineyard you prefer.”

“Of course you did.” Cat stepped closer. “It hasn’t been that long, and even then I suspect you’d get it right.”

Kara smiled a bit proudly at that, handing over the bottle, watching Cat whisk it away into the kitchen.

“So you’re telling me I won’t get to see ‘Kitty Danvers’ make her return any time soon?”

“I don’t think so.” She laughed, playing along coyly.

“Then is this just so I won’t have to drink alone?” Cat questioned, handing her a glass. “Or are Kryptonians just as susceptible to pinot gris as the rest of us?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Shame.” Cat frowned, tasting hers to make sure it was good. “I was sort of looking forward to a repeat performance.”

“Well, maybe one day, Cat.” Kara continued to laugh, blushing slightly. “Anything’s possible.”

Cat swallowed. Kara felt the older woman’s eyes raking over her burgundy dress, her tan shoulders, the way her nose crinkled the scar between her brows when she was nervous or excited. Subtlety was never Cat’s best trait, and Kara definitely took notice.

“To your blossoming career,” Cat toasted. “And to saving the city, once again.”

“Thanks.” Kara clinked their glasses together, feeling like an expert after the other night. “But Cadmus won’t give up. They’re still out there. It’s a bit too early to be celebrating.”

“Yes, but this was a start,” Cat reminded. “Believe me, I’m just as committed to taking them down as you are, but we should acknowledge small victories along the way, don’t you think?”

After the past few weeks, Kara couldn’t agree more.

Cat led them through the doors on the far side of the condo that opened up to the terrace overlooking the skyline, taking a seat on one of her fancy leather couches.

“It’s not the same as my balcony at CatCo.” She shrugged. “But it’ll do, I suppose.”

“Does that mean you’re starting to miss the office?” Kara asked hopefully, sinking into her end of the sofa.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Cat shied away, fingernails nervously tapping the stem as she held her wine. “After witnessing what chaos Cadmus forces are capable of unleashing, I don’t want to take any chances. Polls already indicate a drop in support for alien amnesty. I’m not willing to risk my name or voice lending itself to further fallout. National City is safer with me watching from the sidelines, at least for now.”

“You heard what J’onn said, though,” Kara pushed back. “There’s nothing to worry about, even if–”

“He may believe that,” Cat cut her off, “but he wasn’t there, with me, when… they did what they did. It was a leap of faith just allowing Carter to get anywhere near me again. I didn’t tell him everything, just that we have to be careful. He’s used to it by now, though I did ask him to let me know if he notices anything strange or if I seem a bit… off. I have to take this one day at a time.”

“Of course.” Kara nodded sweetly. “And I support whatever decisions you make, not that you need my–”

“Yes,” Cat breathed, eyes stealing back in her direction. “I do.”

Kara felt the air in her lungs grow shallow, looking down into her glass, brushing a few curls behind her ear.

“I don’t know if I’m the best person to be offering advice.” She sighed.

“Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head, eyes glistening as she stared out at the sky. “Those people, the ones Lar-On attacked, died, in a way, because of me and my family. Because of what my father did. I’m just not sure my presence, any of the work I do makes Earth any safer than it was before I came here. I used to think maybe it was meant to be all along, but… I’m not so sure anymore.”

“You can’t torture yourself with your parents’ mistakes,” Cat insisted. “If I did that, I’m not sure where I’d be today.”

Kara supposed that did make sense, even if it was hard to see at times like this.

“You belong here,” Cat continued softly.

“You belong here too,” Kara told her. “And at CatCo, when you’re ready.”

“Not if I’m destined to become a liability. Who knows what sort of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I might still turn out to be.”

“Well, I do know how much you loved the musical.”

Cat froze, glaring over the rim of her glass.

“Sorry,” Kara stumbled. “Bad… terrible joke.”

“It’s alright.” Cat smirked, taking another sip. “I could use some levity. Everyone’s been treating me like I’m so fragile. I can handle it.”

Kara watched her smile, shoulders relaxing as Cat rubbed one heel against the other. She hadn’t seen this side of her in a while, the soft, completely relaxed Cat she’d gotten a glimpse of every now and then at CatCo, and she was determined to make sure it continued.

“Listen,” she said, shifting closer, almost on instinct. “When my brain was altered, you still believed in me, even after I attacked you. I don’t know how you did it, but somehow you still saw the good in me. You made me feel… like everything would be okay. That’s what I can do for you. You may not trust yourself yet, but _I_ trust you. I always have, and nothing, no drug from Cadmus or anything else, will ever change that.”

Cat’s lips fell open, heart beating fiercely against her chest. Kara could hear it now, almost as if her words had been something Cat was desperate to hear.

“Well.” Cat swallowed. “You’re far more convincing than my therapist. I don’t know why I keep paying her to give me the same spiel about how ‘even the most successful women must tend to their garden of insecurities.’ That’s a direct quote, lest you think I came up with such cliché nonsense.”

“No, that’s…” Kara winced. “Pretty awful.”

“Isn’t it? I keep telling myself it’s time for a replacement, but it gets old fast, hashing the same history over and over. I never get so sick of hearing myself speak. Dead father. Detached mother. Failed relationships. It’s all the same, and I collect my prescriptions and say I’ll meditate or do whatever new age trend is the latest cure all. Anyway, I shouldn’t be telling you this–”

“Yes, you should,” Kara stopped her. “I mean, if you want to, I… I’d love to listen.”

Cat seemed to be fighting the urge to open up, to let it all out, like this wasn’t the worst idea ever. She breathed deeply, watching Kara’s eyes watch her.

“I can’t help but feel like everything’s changed,” Cat said softly.

“Not everything.” Kara shook her head. “It’ll just take some getting used to.”

“Like those?” She smirked, pointing to her glasses.

Kara reached for them, running her fingers along the frames, forgetting she didn’t need to wear them with Cat anymore. It was an old habit, a security blanket of sorts, one she was more than happy to cast aside if it meant that much to her.

Slowly, she took them off, setting them down on the table, looking up as the warm breeze swept her hair gently behind her shoulders. Cat stared at her for another long moment, both of them silent, daring the other to look away first.

“I know I was resistant.” Kara exhaled finally, breaking the spell. “But I enjoyed working with you the other day. It made me feel more confident for the next assignment, like I’m not completely out of my depth.”

“Of course you aren’t.” Cat waved her off. “In fact, soon you won’t need me at all anymore. You have the chops, the connections. I’m not going to step on your toes. You deserve to cut your teeth like I did, make your own mistakes. That’s how you’ll get better.”

“Okay, but you’re wrong about me not needing you,” she insisted. “I still have a lot to learn. I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give.”

“I suspect you’ll get the same from Snapper,” Cat mused a bit jealously. “And James. He’s a good man, that Mr. Olsen. I can see why you chose him.”

“Actually.” Kara cleared her throat. “We, uh, we’re not…”

“Oh.” Cat’s heartbeat kicked up another notch. “I didn’t realize that. Since when?”

“Since…” Kara continued awkwardly. “…pretty much right after it started.”

“Interesting,” Cat breathed.

“Yeah, I just… thought that was what I wanted.” Kara swallowed. “But it turns out… it’s not.”

Kara looked back up at her, then away quickly, knowing her cheeks were flushed, and the wine was no excuse.

“Hmm.” Cat couldn’t help but smirk, fidgeting with her glass. “That is breaking news if I’ve ever heard it.”

“Strictly off the record,” Kara teased.

“Of course.” Cat’s cheeks also glowed, brighter than the moon.

“Anyway, no more talk about me not needing you.” Kara smiled, biting her lip again as she traced her fingers across the sofa, trying to distract herself.

“Fine.” Cat rolled her eyes. “If you insist.”

“You once said we were partners. Maybe we still can be, just… in a different way.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Cat said. “So long as I don’t have to wear a suit like yours. Blue isn’t really my color.”

“I beg to differ.” Kara laughed. “So… what do you say then? Partners?”

She extended her hand for Cat to shake, very professionally, like it was nothing, like she didn’t know exactly how dangerous it was at this stage of the game.

Cat reached out, heart pounding with what Kara could only recognize as the bitter taste of hope, figuring if they wouldn’t allow themselves to dive, the least they could do was test the waters, even if they were bound to merely skip across the surface.

“Yes,” Cat breathed, accepting her hand. “Partners.”

Kara smiled as she shook it, looking down at their clasped fingers, at the way Cat’s soft skin melted against her own. She’d always admired her hands, the way her pinkies bent slightly from writing so much, how there was always just the slightest touch of ink smeared across the side that slid over her desk when she penned things. But this, the feeling of holding Cat’s hand delicately in her own, was something she never could have prepared for, no matter how often she tried to resist.

_Oh no,_ she thought, finally allowing herself to come to grips with just how much trouble she was in.

She’d fought with everything she had to not let this happen, not now, not when Cat had so many other things to deal with, when she needed Kara to be focused and strong, but there was no use. Gravity was conspiring to pull them closer, and Kara didn’t have it in her to fight anymore.

She looked back up to Cat’s face, watching her chest rise and fall, neither of them willing to let go.

“Oh.” Kara managed to pull away for a moment, fishing in her pocket. “I almost forgot.”

Cat’s shoulders fell at the loss of touch, but when she saw the watch from her father in Kara’s hand seconds later, her eyes went wide. The glass had been replaced, gold face setting polished to perfection, the leather band without a scratch.

“How did you…” she trailed off, barely able to speak.

“I know how much this means to you,” Kara said, cradling it like it was the most precious thing she’d ever held. “May I?”

Cat nodded slowly, swallowing hard, eyes threatening to spill as Kara took her hand again, carefully placing the heirloom around her delicate wrist, fingers pressing against Cat’s pulse point as she fixed the clasp.

Kara continued to stare down at it, lacing her hand again with Cat’s, balancing their woven fingers on her knees. Cat exhaled, sliding her other hand over the top of Kara’s, squeezing gently, words still failing them both. Their eyes met again, this time deeper. Kara swore she felt the air spark with electricity, skin tingling, body coming alive in ways she’d never before experienced.

Of course, that was the moment her phone rang. Cat pulled away slowly, as if the shrill sound woke her from whatever daze had carried them both to another planet.

“Alex?” Kara answered a bit impatiently.

“Cadmus released another video,” her sister shared. “A warning of more to come.”

“Be there soon.” She hung up before she could be throttled with any more bad news. The night wasn’t over. Not yet.

“So much for small victories.” Cat sighed.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Kara breathed, smoothing out her dress as she stood, smiling down at Cat before looking up at the stars. “I’ll check in with you tomorrow, okay? Get some sleep.”

“I’ll do my best,” Cat agreed. “See you soon, Supergirl.”

She watched Kara’s feet as she left the balcony, blazing up past the clouds.

Despite all her fears, and whatever fresh hell Cadmus had planned next, Cat couldn’t help but feel lighter, hoping her nightmares would give way to sleep, and if she was lucky, maybe even a dream or two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave kudos or a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter of the virtual season. Questions always welcome too!
> 
> Major props to supercattuccino ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/krystalgoderitch) | [tumblr](http://supercattuccino.tumblr.com/ask)), spaceshipsarecool ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceshipsarecool) | [tumblr](http://spaceshipsarecool.tumblr.com/ask)), Revolos55 ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Revolos55/pseuds/Revolos55) | [tumblr](http://saunteringvaguelydownwards.tumblr.com/ask)), and musetotheworld ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/musetotheworld) | [tumblr](http://musetotheworld.tumblr.com/ask)) for their beta work on all episodes so far!


	11. Next week on episode 4 (Undertow)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse of what's coming up from @spaceshipsarecool  
  
---  
  
## NEXT WEEK ON SUPERGIRL VIRTUAL SEASON!

Kara crashes Maggie’s latest investigation, but the suspect they’re chasing could spell trouble.

Cat battles a setback in her recovery, but it brings her closer to Kara.

And J’onn finally comes face to face with M’gann.And when Kara goes missing, Alex turns on Maggie.

Don’t miss episode 4 - UNDERTOW by spaceshipsarecool! Beginning Monday on the [Supergirl Virtual Season](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sgvirtualseason)! 

Special thanks to @reginalovesemma ([ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/reginalovesemma) | [tumblr](http://reginalovesemma.tumblr.com)) for the lovely gifset!! You can leave comments about it here, or hit the [tumblr ask box](http://reginalovesemma.tumblr.com/ask). 


	12. BONUS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little something extra from @catgranting, that you may have seen on Tumblr. Included here to complete the episode's art!

And there's also a [Spotify playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/shelby5/playlist/7AOOiTjklD5CNNwg9C7Sfi) for this episode, if you want to recapture the mood or listen as you read!


End file.
